5 Things to Watch from Gators <br>in SEC Tournament

Gators outfielder Nelson Maldonado rounds the bases after his go-ahead homer on Saturday. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA staff photographer)

5 Things to Watch from Gators
in SEC Tournament

Wednesday, May 24, 2017 | Baseball, Scott Carter

Florida opens against Auburn on Wednesday night.

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators opened the Southeastern Conference portion of their regular-season schedule at Auburn. They got swept. That was more than two months ago.

When the Gators open their stay at the SEC Tournament on Wednesday night in Hoover, Ala., they get another shot at the Tigers. This time, the No. 1-seed Gators (40-15) seek to avoid a repeat of their first game this season against the No. 8-seed Tigers (33-24).

In that weekend series March 17-19 at Plainsman Park, Auburn dealt the Gators a 14-3 loss. Florida lost a pair of one-run games the next two days to get off to a rocky start in conference play.

Of course, Florida turned it around and won the SEC East outright and a share of the overall league title with LSU. The Gators played their best down the stretch, going 20-4 after losing back-to-back home games against Tennessee in early April.

The Gators have played in the championship game of the SEC Tournament three consecutive years, winning the program's seventh conference tournament title in 2015.

As the top seed, the Gators enter this week's tournament in solid position to make another run at the title. While No. 4-ranked Florida is likely to host a regional and super regional regardless of what happens in Hoover, winning is always more fun than losing.

Here are five things to watch from the Gators if they end up challenging for the championship:

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1. A FAEDO REBOUND
No. 1 starter Alex Faedo (7-2, 2.89 ERA) had one of the worst outings of his career last time out. Faedo was roughed up for 13 hits and seven runs in a loss to Kentucky the final weekend of the regular season. The Gators lost, 12-4, as Faedo managed just 5 1/3 innings, his shortest outing since that 11-run loss to Auburn on March 17. Faedo is one of the league's top pitchers and is not accustomed to lackluster back-to-back starts.
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2. RIVERA'S RETURN
Junior catcher Mike Rivera was finally starting to heat up at the plate when he suffered a broken hamate bone in his hand on April 11. Rivera has missed the last 22 games and is expected back behind the plate against Auburn. Rivera hit .340 (17-for-50) in the 15 games prior to the injury. If Rivera returns his usual self behind the plate and can pick up where he left off at the plate, he'll provide a big boost in the postseason.
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3. REPLACING GUTHRIE
The loss of shortstop Dalton Guthrie to an ankle injury in Saturday's SEC-clinching win over Kentucky leaves a void, Guthrie is one of the best defensive shortstops in the country and seems to always be in the middle of the action offensively. Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan said Guthrie won't play in Hoover, so that means Christian Hicks is likely to play shortstop. Hicks can also play third should O'Sullivan want to use third baseman Jonathan India at short.
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4. YOUTH ON MOUND
O'Sullivan plans to stay with his regular rotation of Faedo, Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar if the Gators play at least three games in Hoover. After that, he'll turn to a group of young pitchers to start and see how far the Gators can go. The group includes Garrett Milchin, Nate Brown, Nick Long, Austin Langworthy, Tyler Dyson and Andrew Baker. Each had at least one start during the regular season.
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5. ROLE PLAYER CONTRIBUTIONS
Contributions from role players is a defining trait of this Gators team. Mark Kolozsvary has filled in nicely at catcher and designated hitter in Rivera's absence. Blake Reese came in to pinch run for Guthrie on Saturday and scored a run and later drove in a run as the first baseman after Hicks moved to short. Former starter Michael Byrne has a school-record-tying 13 saves after moving from the midweek starter's role to closer. Ryan Larson, after a subpar junior season, has transitioned from a backup earlier this season into the team's leading hitter. The Gators will need more of the same to come home with the program's eighth SEC Tournament championship trophy.